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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24190600">One Egg and Two Entire Fistfuls of Grass</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miss_Macabre_Grey/pseuds/Miss_Macabre_Grey'>Miss_Macabre_Grey</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Final Fantasy XV</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>But mostly just some best friends acting like best friends with a touch of, Gladio and Ignis are also a thing, Ignore the title of this fic, M/M, being cute and in love</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 04:22:56</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,902</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24190600</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miss_Macabre_Grey/pseuds/Miss_Macabre_Grey</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Gladio actually gets to drag Ignis away for a night drinking, leaving one  prince alone with his best friend. Noctis had such simple plans for the night: spend it with Prompto playing games all night.</p><p>Not that Noctis minds that they got sidetracked, even if it was a little weird.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Prompto Argentum/Noctis Lucis Caelum</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>57</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>One Egg and Two Entire Fistfuls of Grass</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I just played the game so I only now realized what a mess the game’s storytelling is, so this is my attempt to show how Prompto COULD have been written as Noctis’ best friend, with that little touch of romance along the way. Not to mention I just love Noctis so much.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“I could really chug one back right now,” Gladio sounded almost smug, but the fatigue of completing hunts implied he would rather rest than drink. Noctis had heard the same exact line before, especially when they turn in hunts in Lestallum. Noctis suspected Gladio really would like to drink, particularly with some of the many built and powerful women in the city.</p><p>They took out their prey at a relatively reasonable hour, returning to Lestallum at midnight. To an extent, the nightlife in Lestallum really put Insomnia’s club scene to shame, especially considering Insomnia was a city that was never supposed to sleep. Gladio looked no more exhausted or energetic than anyone else in the party, but compared to other nights all four of them looked positively radiant. The last night hunts they took, they returned to an inn at ten in the morning. Realistically, they had no reason to not indulge for a night and stay out for fun instead of for work.</p><p>“So why don’t you?” Noctis asked as Gladio stretched.</p><p>Gladio paused in confusion with his arms above his head. “Huh?”</p><p>“Chug one back. Why don’t you? Bars nearby I have to be pretty crowded around this time. You should have a night out that’s not literally camping out.”</p><p>“It’s a Wednesday night,” Ignis added with a warning edge to his tone. “We should rest.”</p><p>Noctis smiled a little to himself as he held back rolling his eyes. “You especially should have a night off and ‘chug one back’ for once. Or maybe you can go and make sure Gladio doesn’t get beat up by some of the local women.”</p><p>“Hey! I’d be a perfect gentleman at these bars. No way I’m dumb enough to fight these ladies, even drunk,” Gladio boasted and looked at the entrance to the Lestallum hotel they finally reached then back at Noctis. “Besides, I gotta seem like a good role model for Iris.”</p><p>“Isn’t she like 17? She probably knows not to make you her role model by now.” Prompto’s grin lasted only a second before Gladio put him in a headlock and ruffled his head with more force than necessary.</p><p>“Hey, guys,” a familiar feminine voice called out to them. Iris waved at them with more enthusiasm than anyone could have expected from her at midnight. “You turning in for the night?”</p><p>“Yeah, no, I think we’ll grab a little midnight snack. Maybe hit town for some night shots,” Prompto’s initial tired eyes looked as lively as ever as he held his camera and waved it around. “Y’all in?”</p><p>Ignis raised a brow and crossed his arms. “A midnight snack?”</p><p>Noctis could probably eat but would not back Prompto when Ignis was staring him down for even suggesting they eat so close to bed, let alone when he could just as easily make them something better. At least Prompto got to get the brunt of Ignis’s scolding. Perhaps a touch unjustified considering Prompto’s idea of a snack usually involved a couple of apple slices.</p><p>“What, what’s wrong with a snack? I’ll work it off, I swear!”</p><p>“On a <i>Wednesday</i> night? We already kept poor Iris up. We should turn in for the night.”</p><p>“Relax, Iggy. By royal decree, we should enjoy tonight. You know days hardly mean anything on the road anyway.”</p><p>Gladio seemed relatively quiet when Iris appeared, only making a stance by putting a supportive hand on Ignis’ shoulder. “Listen to the little guy this time. Iris, you want to hang out with your bro and his bros?”</p><p>Iris rocked on her heels as she thought about an answer. “I thought I would,” Iris began as she looked at the direction where her brother and Ignis stood. “Not feeling like seeing you guys be weird all night. Guess I’ll let you enjoy your midnight ‘snack’ without me.”</p><p>Gladio slumped his shoulders. “Damn, I guess Prom was right. She really does think she’s too cool to hang out with her bro now.”</p><p>“Well, that’s because she is too cool to hang out with you,” Noctis needed to learn to think before speaking because Gladio was pulling him in the same headlock as Prompto, if only slightly less menacingly.</p><p>Iris laughed, but a yawn cut her off. “Well, it was nice seeing you guys come back safe, but I’m heading to bed. Later,” Iris gave a small mock salute goodbye as she headed up the states to her own room. Gladio loosened his grip on Noctis to wave her goodbye<br/>
but not enough to totally let go of Noctis.</p><p>Upon watching his companions bicker and make a commotion in the hotel lobby, Ignis sighed into his hand and muttered a small, “I really do need a drink.” Without much warning, Ignis put a hand on Gladio and pulled him away from Noctis. “We should go enjoy the night. The prince issued a ‘royal decree’ after all. The prince, however, should rest, and perhaps I will even let him sleep past noon.”</p><p>“Wore you down, huh? Well, let’s see what’s open. First round’s on me.” Gladio winked at Ignis without shame. “That makes you,” Gladio poked Prompto on his chest, “on guard duty, Prompto. You and Noct stay in the hotel.”</p><p>Ignis saved him from Gladio, but also issued bedtime, and the rebellious child in him wanted to go out just to go out. But with a free pass to sleep in, Noctis wanted to shove Gladio into Ignis’s arms and out the door. Noctis felt like the real winner, but Prompto pouted at the door.</p><p>With a gentle punch on Prompto’s arm, Noctis offered a small smile. “Let the old men have a night to themselves. We can take way longer showers and do whatever without anyone nagging us now.”</p><p>“I can still call you and do surprise check-ins at any time. We’ll only be a few blocks away if you decide to cause a ruckus.”</p><p>“Just focus on the big guy. Go on, Specs, night’s not getting any younger and you look like you need to get wasted more and more by the minute. Try to be back before 4am.”</p><p>Ignis huffed and adjusted his collar to fix his button. “Well, we should be in before that. You can have a separate room for yourselves tonight so we do not disturb you coming in.”</p><p>“Cool, now go get your version of wasted,” Noctis barely even looked up to spare them another glance as he went to the counter to book the room for himself and Prompto.</p><p>Prompto perked up at the idea of their own room. Sharing a single tent or RV with four adult men never worked optimally even though they had enough experience to work out most of the issues for decent sleeping arrangements. They could all get along, but Noctis preferred having a semblance of privacy when he could. Even if Noctis slept with another person, at least he could spread himself a bit more without the two more stuffy men of the party. Besides, Prompto offered a relatively neutral presence. He never nagged or judged whatever Noctis did like Gladio and Ignis had to. Prompto’s “job” was to support Noctis, which perfectly fit his role as Noctis’ genuine friend just fine.</p><p>Prompto followed Noctis to their room without prompting. “You mind missing out on the nightlife shots to babysit me?” Noctis asked while they passed by all the doors for whichever had the 303 plaque.</p><p>“Me? Nah. We come to Lestallum enough that I’m holding out that I can try again later. Hanging out with just you for once sounds kinda awesome, if I’m honest. And Ignis said we can sleep in, right? Did I imagine that? That couldn’t have been real!”</p><p>“You heard right. He definitely said we’re sleeping in, and I’m gonna.”</p><p>“Not sure if your confirmation makes it true. I bet you always imagine Ignis letting you sleep.”</p><p>Noctis rolled his eyes in lieu of response; he could not confirm nor deny that fantasy. In another moment the two finally found their room, and Noctis stepped inside first. They had stayed at the hotel before, and even though it was not the fanciest, Noctis loved seeing the old paint on the wall and lumpy queen bed. A smaller room than their usual, but he had to only share with Prompto, so he appreciated it enough.</p><p>“Aw, really? One bed? Did they only have singles left?” Prompto bemoaned but already got to work unwinding and setting his gear down.</p><p>“Aw, what happened to being excited to spend the night with just me?” Noctis teased as he brought out some of their own soaps and spare clothes from the Armiger. Noctis connected his phone on the charger and started tapping away on it. “And nah. They had one single and one double left, but I figured Iggy and Gladio’ll need the double more than us.”</p><p>“You let them grab it when they’re just going to come in smashed and all over the place? When you have the coldest feet in the world! Together we’re not even big enough to take up the whole queen, and you <i>still always</i> find a way to latch your ice toes over me.”</p><p>“Socks get caught on my toes. . .”</p><p>“Then <i>clip your toenails</i>, you weirdo!”</p><p>“Don’t wanna. But let the books know I am a merciful ruler, and I can offer you dibs on the first shower as a sign of peace.”</p><p>Prompto paused. After a sigh, Prompto flashed a smile and lightly tapped his fist against Noctis’s shoulder. “Sure, sure. I’ll be sure the books call you the king with bad toenails who offers to let his citizens bathe first so he can go straight to playing video games.”</p><p>Noctis turned his phone screen toward Prompto, revealing the title screen for King’s Knight. “You caught me. Isn’t it so cute that Ignis let us get separate rooms so he wouldn’t wake us up as though we’re actually going to be going to sleep before they come back?”</p><p>“‘We’? Gonna make me go raiding with you?” Prompto grabbed his spare clothes and shrugged as he walked to the attached bathroom. “I’m down. I’ve been slacking on grinding, but now I really wanna play with you. Gimme a few minutes.”</p><p>Prompto brought his phone with him while he showered to blast the different opening songs from Kingdom Hearts. He got through all four of them before Noctis finally heard the water stop. Noctis had been quietly jamming along with the music, not minding that the neighboring patrons could probably hear. Maybe at some point it became rough to listen to Prompto singing along, but even Noctis hummed along when the chorus struck in Face My Fears, so if any neighbors complained Noctis would just take the blame. </p><p>Twenty minutes was a lot longer than “a few” minutes Prompto promised. Noctis had his phone to distract him, but he still felt eager to see Prompto finally return to the hotel room. Prompto came out with his skin flushed pink, and Noctis could feel it radiating warmth from where he sat. “Save any hot water for me?”</p><p>“Pfft. It’s Lestallum. I don’t even know if they even have anything cooler than lukewarm.” Prompto sat next to Noctis on the bed and peeked over his shoulder to look at the screen. “Oh, damn, is this a new event?”</p><p>“Yeah, some new characters are being released. I think you’ll like the new five-star rare character they added.”</p><p>“Oh?” Prompto’s eyes shone with curiosity. Before Noctis knew what was happening Prompto was shoving him off the bed. “Hurry and shower then! We gotta explore and try and get the new stuff.”</p><p>A part of Noctis enjoyed Prompto of all people bossing him around. Usually Prompto only tried to take command when he was trying to do something that involved the both of them like taking photos together or playing together. Noctis found it to be how Prompto took care of Noctis’ mental health the same way Ignis would take care of his royal duties and Gladio would protect him physically. Prompto came off strong, but Noctis needed those types of friendly commands or else he very well may ignore taking a shower in favor of playing video games all night.</p><p>True to his word, Prompto left plenty of hot water for Noctis. The sweat, dirt, and grime from the day or two of exploring and hunting swirled together with the steaming water down the drain. Noctis planned on rinsing clean as fast as he could, but he enjoyed turning his back to the stream and letting the pressure of the water massage his tense muscles. Suddenly, Noctis related to why Prompto said he would only take a few minutes when the shower turned into twenty. If he had only invested in a proper waterproof phone case then Noctis would never leave. He could play King’s Knight while letting the water wash over him forever. Perhaps Noctis would be dubbed the least environmentally conscious leader in history, but it was Lestallum, and Prompto was right. The water never ran cold in Lestallum.</p><p>The only urgency Noctis felt came from avoidance. The longer he stayed in the shower, the more his mind wanted to wander and wonder and fantasize. He usually avoided thinking by fighting, gaming, and sleeping, but staying in the shower left him with nothing else to do but contemplate his life. Noctis preferred. Anything. Anything other than that.</p><p>So Noctis lathered himself in soap and decided he would clean his hair next time. He rinsed it, but it was neither dry nor oily enough to add product, so he left as soon as he saw no more soap suds around his ankles.</p><p>Noctis contemplated taking out a pair of clean socks to wear, but the room’s AC seemed weaker than usual, so he opted for less instead of more clothes. Clean boxers and sweatpants seemed like more than enough for when the night inevitably got hotter. Even if it did not seem very “Kingly,” Prompto was right. Noctis latched on people during sleep, and Prompto’s body heat would burn them both. </p><p>A cloud of steam slipped into the main room when Noctis reappeared. Prompto laid on the side closer to the wall, sprawled with a knee up as he tapped his phone screen. “Hey, bro, I just leveled up! Maybe I won’t be deadweight while we do some raids,” Prompto boasted, looking totally refreshed and lively as though it were a Saturday afternoon in high school instead of a technically Thursday morning after constant battles.</p><p>“You’re never deadweight, Prompto,” Noctis said without any emotion in his voice, nothing to indicate how much he really meant his words.</p><p>“Oh, uh,” Prompto looked at Noctis then back at his phone. “You sound tired. We can always sleep.”</p><p>“No way. You said it yourself. It’s nice to just hang out just the two of us, and I’ve been itching to get my hands on some new rares with you.”</p><p>“Oh, yeah! I forgot to look them up while you were in the shower. You said I’d like the new one?”</p><p>“Yeah, she seems like your type.” Noctis grabbed his phone from the charger on the nightstand and noted how Prompto left his camera near it instead of on his side of the bed. If Prompto made any reaction, Noctis failed to see it.</p><p>“Oh? ‘She’?”</p><p>Prompto asked with a tone of questioning Noctis could not place, so he decided to answer normally. “Yeah, she’s pretty and blonde. Seems to pretty easily summarize your tastes, right? I don’t know much else, but I remember she was a distance fighter.”</p><p>“Oh, yeah, ha, that checks out for me.” Noctis had been looking at Prompto while his phone booted the game again, and he caught Prompto staring at him and biting his lips between words. “Guess I’m obvious about that. But hey! I’ve gotten way better at team compositions and knowing when to choose distance fighters.”</p><p>The game loaded and Noctis went immediately to friends online and sent Prompto an invite to join his party. “I say we fight until our fingers are numb.”</p><p>“Like you’d stop even then.”</p><p>Noctis subconsciously covered his smirk with his phone as he rolled on his side that faced Prompto. “I said that for you to have a way out. If we’re actually serious about finishing, then we should skip to the middle difficulty levels and hope we can push through all of it before Specs comes to ‘wake us up’.”</p><p>Prompto only looked more eager to play. For a solid two hours without breaks, they managed to maneuver through most of the added traps, though the game’s loot boxes only seemed to favor Noctis, and Prompto had repeat after repeat from his spoils. Noctis at the least wished Prompto would find a new character, even if not the one he figured Prompto would have liked the most. The frustration came more from bad treasure than actually disliking the game, and Prompto put his phone down to suck in a small breath.</p><p>“Too much?” Noctis asked, willing to pause.</p><p>“Almost.” Prompto screamed into his pillow, then turned to Noctis with a bright smile. “Okay, I’m ready to try again.”</p><p>Noctis and Prompto had scooted closer to each other without realizing as time passed, enough so their phones would clank against each other and their knees folded along the angle that compressed their legs together. Both of them had over a foot of free space from their bodies to the edge of the bed, but they had been too comfortable to move. Noctis stayed even when the arm he laid on went numb.</p><p>Then a slam against the hotel door startled them into action. Noctis regretted letting his arm go numb since that was the side he used to wield the sword he summoned, but Prompto looked ready to move.</p><p>In one swift roll, Prompto crouched behind the bed with his gun aimed at the door. Another thud, but then a strangled noise followed sounding more human. “I don’t think it’s a threat, but let’s be careful,” Noctis whispered, and followed Prompto’s lead to crouch behind a chair.</p><p>Without any shouts of threats or commands coming from the hallway to indicate enemies, Prompto nodded in agreement. “Could be some weirdos passing by. I gotta confirm. Iggy and Gladio will destroy me if I suck at protecting you,” Prompto whispered back, but it carried an air of ease and assurance. Prompto’s distant eyes failed to match his energetic tone. “I’m gonna check it out.”</p><p>Prompto sleuthed to the door in more time than it would have taken Noctis to warp there, but it came with the benefit of not emitting a bright blue light, and even Noctis had to admire Prompto’s silent footsteps. Prompto peeked out the small eyehole in the door, and Noctis saw him nearly drop his gun as his jaw hit the ground. Noctis readied his sword all the more as he stood to action.</p><p>“O-oh, no, relax, dude, threat’s cancelled. It’s,” Prompto’s face turned pink as he paused, “it’s just Gladio and Iggy. Pr-probably too drunk to know they’re at the wrong room.”</p><p>Noctis raised an eyebrow at that. “It’s super late right now. What are they even doing?” Noctis stood up to examine for himself, but Prompto extended his arms and blocked him off. </p><p>“No way, dude, let them be. They, er, well, I don’t think they should have taken the room with two beds with how they’re going.” Prompto’s face brightened to an even deeper red. “Let’s. Let’s just go to bed, yeah?”</p><p>Noctis’ eyes widened in disbelief. “Hell no! You drop something like that and expect me to not even see?”</p><p>“Trust me, it’s a part of my sworn duty to protect you! D-do you <i>want</i> to see Ignis pin Gladio to a wall?”</p><p>Noctis sputtered out something unintelligible. “<i>Ignis</i> is the -”</p><p>“Yeah, for real. Listen, listen,” Prompto put his fingers to his lips for Noctis to be quiet as he watched the door. No more banging noises, at least. “So I think they’re already at their room.”</p><p>Noctis sighed and pouted his way back to bed. “I can’t believe I have to miss something as interesting as that. Interrupted our raid, too. If I check my phone now I’ll just be doubly sad we lost.”</p><p>Prompto’s gun disappeared into the armiger and he scratched at the back of his neck while he turned from Noctis. “Sorry for the false alarm. Looks like I’m not really the best guard, to no one’s surprise.” Prompto walked to the bed and reclaimed his side, back to laying on his back instead of facing Noctis. “Maybe I’ll make it up to you by finishing the raid for you later.”</p><p>“Nah, I just wish I got your camera ready. It would have been a really nice shot, with how cool you looked.”</p><p>Prompto raised a brow at that. </p><p>Noctis held in his desire to chuckle a little. “I’m serious. Just because it was a false alarm and we lost a round in a game doesn’t mean you suck at your job. You looked cool, and I genuinely felt like if I were a helpless damsel in distress, you would be the amazing knight who made me feel totally safe.”</p><p>“Well, I’m supposed to protect you even if you’re a trained fighter. Nice to know you feel protected. It’s . . . Wow, I really am a king’s knight, huh? I never feel like one.”</p><p>“Well, you haven’t been a ‘king’s’ knight for long. . .” Noctis ignored the thought that he also repressed the idea that he was a king in light of recent tragedies. “But you should have felt like a knight this entire time.”</p><p>Prompto smiled and reached out for Noctis’ hand. “Maybe I should, but not really. I just want to . . . Anyway, you’re the cool one. I wish I grabbed my camera to take a picture of how cool <i>you</i> looked.”</p><p>Noctis half-turned to reach for the camera on the nightstand and held it out. “Think we could recreate the scene? It’ll be fun proof that we can handle being left alone more and something to tease Iggy about.”</p><p>Noctis thought Prompto would enjoy his joke. Instead, Prompto pouted and scoffed, pulling his hands away to cross his arms in a huff. “You can’t just try and recreate something as cool as that! It wouldn’t be <i>authentic</i>! And before you even try saying models get photographed in fake poses, this is about you, and you suck at modeling. Remember senior year when I said you looked pretty and we tried <i>basic</i> poses, let alone cool stealth “life-or-death” moments, and you got hot chocolate all over my thighs?”</p><p>“You tickled me when you tried to repose me!”</p><p>“I gave you a warning that I was gonna adjust you!” Prompto retorted, but his anger slipped and Noctis could hear the fondness in his tone. “Jeez, I was still new to taking pics, so I thought you’d be <i>great</i> practice. ‘Make a photo shoot with Lucis’ hot prince! Even a bad pic would still be good!’ Well, one scorched crotch later and I vowed you can only appear in candid shots and selfies.”</p><p>“And I look damn good in those candids and selfies, right?”</p><p>“Only because <i>I</i> took the pictures. Face it, you’re hideous without the bloom filter.”</p><p>They both laughed, filling the room with a mix of ugly cackling and soft giggles. While the laughter continued but wound down, Noctis raised his hand above them so he could snap a shot of Prompto and himself. Prompto blinked a few times in surprise, then snatched his camera back.</p><p>“Oh, gross, my eyes are half-closed,” he complained as he viewed it.</p><p>Noctis scooter closer to see. “Aw, but I look fantastic and this is ‘hashtagNoFilter’.” Noctis took a breath and pointed at Prompto’s face in the picture. “Besides, you look . . . happy. And I’m more than happy having this of us happy together than us looking cool.”</p><p>Prompto stared at the photo as he spoke, “Well, same, I guess. Would have been nice to have proof that I’m not a total loser. You definitely did not do me any favors with this pic.”</p><p>“Are you serious?” Noctis has an air of disbelief as he adjusts from his comfortable position to sit and stare at Prompto. “First off, you aren’t a <i>total</i> loser, but I wouldn’t like you so much if you weren’t at least a <i>little bit</i> a loser.” Noctis ignored Prompto’s mixture of a glare and pout pointed his direction and held him firmly by his shoulder. “I get that I can’t just take away your insecurities about being a Crownsguard, but I <i>do</i> have proof of you being amazing.”</p><p>“D-dude, what-” Prompto started to cover his face with his hands, but Noctis intertwined one of his with. Noctis felt his voice catch in his throat when he looked at Prompto from above, starry-eyed and confused.</p><p>Noctis grabbed Prompto’s camera again and sorted through only two before stopping. “See? Like right here. This one you took with Gladio posing like an idiot in front of a daemon before we confirmed it was dead, and you killed it in one shot before it had a chance to grab him from the back.” Noctis swiped through a handful of others before facing the camera to Prompto. “This one is that damn bird that kept flying and you and I basically did all the work taking it down because the bastard kept being out of reach for Gladio and Ignis.”</p><p>“Noctis, please, those are j-“</p><p>“And this one,” Noctis interjected as he slid back down the bed and laid next to Prompto. Noctis smiled and moved closer as he put the camera between them. “This one is just all of us goofing off because you told a joke so funny Ignis almost choked on cup noodles. Sure, Iggy almost died on a shrimp, but it was fine because your first aid skills are only second to Gladio’s and helped him right away. Then we just laughed about it and had a nice camp. You’re just that great to have around.”</p><p>Prompto closed his eyes as Noctis spoke, but Noctis let him take his time to take in the words. After a few moments and a deep breath, Prompto looked at Noctis and smiled like his worries finally melted away, or at least eased into something he can sort out. “Thanks,” Prompto whispered, voice hard to hear over how choked it sounded. Pointing at the camera screen, Prompto changed his soft expression to a more familiar playful smile. “Looking at this picture, it kinda looks like Gladio making googly eyes at Iggy.”</p><p>Noctis squinted at the picture and gasped. “Holy shit, it does. He totally looks like he’s begging for Ignis to look his way.”</p><p>Prompto and Noctis looked at each other at the same time.</p><p>“Look through all the pictures and see how long those two have been crushing on each other?”</p><p>“We <i>have</i> to. Maybe even figure out how we could have been so blind to them being a thing. We can do this instead of playing King’s Knight. Hell, I don’t think even I could sleep until we figure this out.”</p><p>Prompto gasped at the bold statement. “We gotta hurry then. Before we know it the sun’ll be up and they’ll be here trying to pretend they didn’t hook up.”</p><p>“If Ignis is making heart eyes at Gladio like he is in this photo,” Noctis said pointing at the new picture Prompto shuffled to where it was only Noctis, Gladio, and Ignis, “then I doubt tonight was a hook-up. They gotta be dating.”</p><p>Prompto laughed and shuffled through more pictures. Some looked objectively normal without a hint of romance, which deflated their theory, but then a candid shot later, and they looked like true lovers. The more Noctis looked, the more he felt like a fool for not catching onto the fact that maybe Ignis and Gladio, his oldest companions and friends, Maybe they were more than friends with each other. Prompto seeming just as shocked while also looking like he should have noticed helped Noctis feel less like a bad friend, at least.</p><p>Except.</p><p>As Noctis shuffled through pictures with Prompto’s, he would steal glances at Prompto and his own heart beat a little faster when he would gasp or smile at some of the different memories. Most of the pictures had nothing to do with Ignis or Gladio, and they started to look through all of them. Then when Prompto stopped on one image of just Noctis, eyes glowing magenta as he unlocked a new bit of magic, an expression so serious he barely recognized his own face, Noctis looked at Prompto. Had Noctis not have just spent an hour looking for the subtle cues that someone was in love, he would have missed it, but Prompto was making the same face at the photo that Gladio had been making at Ignis in most of the pictures.</p><p>“Wow, the sun is really starting to rise now,” Prompto observed, punctuated with a yawn. “Think we collected enough evidence to confirm we’re idiots who can’t tell when our friends are majorly crushing on each other?”</p><p>“About that . . .” Noctis took in a deep breath and cupped Prompto’s cheek. His thumb smoothed over some of the freckles beneath Prompto’s eyes. Prompto swallowed audibly and froze. Then, as Noctis predicted, Prompto softened and relaxed into the touch.</p><p>“Hey, bro, um, what’re you doing now?” Prompto bit his lip, and that just about sealed Noctis’s fate.</p><p>Noctis leaned forward and pushed his lips against Prompto. They both had no idea what to do, but only a second passed before they figured it out and Prompto met the kiss eagerly.</p><p>When they pulled apart, Prompto went back to blushing a cute pink color all down his cheeks. “So, uh, you especially are an idiot. I’ve been crushing on you forever, and you still think my type is ‘cute blonde girls.’ Like, dude, you’re totally my type and none of those things.”</p><p>Noctis laughed, his own face heating from embarrassment and lack of air as he tried to rein in his cackling. “C’mon, that’s not fair. I know you called me cute already at least once today. And you called me hot.”</p><p>“Yeah, and you still didn’t pick up that I was into you! I mean, the way you reacted to the room situation meant you got us one bed <i>very</i> platonically. Then you went and said all those nice things about me, so maybe I thought you did figure me out. I nearly died from the constant emotional whiplash. You’re just the worst, and yet it somehow makes me want you all the more.”</p><p>“Sorry, sorry,” Noctis cooed, soundi far more teasing than apologetic, but the gentle touch against Prompto’s cheek gave some indication that Noctis meant his words. “I’m an idiot. I don’t know what came over me, to be honest. You’re my best friend, but going through and telling you how amazing you are just sorta reminded <i>me</i> how much I like you, and. I dunno. I like you, Prompto.”</p><p>Prompto did the unexpected and leaned over to kiss Noctis first, on the half of his face not buried into the pillow. “I like you, too, Noctis. But I’m done looking at photos and playing video games. Wanna finally go to sleep?”</p><p>Noctis craned his head to look at the clock. “Might be more of a nap, but yeah. Somehow I don’t mind losing sleep if it was all necessary to kiss you.”</p><p>The pillow Prompto swatted over Noctis’ head actually made for a welcomed guard against the incoming sunlight. With his head and heart slightly more at ease than usual, Noctis found himself drifting into a happy sleep almost instantly. All too soon, the pillow protection disappeared, and all Noctis could feel was his body latched onto another person.</p><p>Refusing to open his eyes, Noctis recalled the night before as someone talked at him to awaken him. Noctis remembered Prompto, and latched onto the other’s body even tighter despite Prompto being much more ready to get up and move when being disturbed from sleep. Noctis groaned into a bit of flesh and tried to keep the light out his eyes to no avail. Prompto, the traitor, was ripping Noctis off like a used bandaid.</p><p>“Jerks, all of you,” Noctis grumbled with his eyes close as he shifted on the bed.</p><p>“Aw, but, Noct, this isn’t supposed to be Sleeping Beauty. You need me to kiss you awake?” Prompto teased. Finally Noctis opened one eye and looked around for the source of the voice. Prompto’s smile beamed brighter than the sunlight Ignis let in by opening the window.</p><p>“Mmnn, donnnnn’t kiss me. Too early.” Noctis said without checking the time to realize Ignis kept his word about sleeping in later than usual.</p><p>Prompto and Gladio laughed, and, without warning, Prompto kissed Noctis on the cheek. The shock startled Noctis awake enough that he opened both his eyes and adjusted himself to a sitting position. “Oh, so that did work?” </p><p>“Maybe I should try it instead of blondie next time,” Gladio suggested. Noctis caught the scornful glare Ignis shot Gladio at the mere suggestion.</p><p>“You certainly will not,” Ignis huffed. Gladio and Ignis shared a look between them before Ignis cleared his throat and looked at Prompto. “And you shouldn’t either, for that matter.”</p><p>Noctis looked at Prompto, who only nodded in wordless understanding before Noctis turned to Ignis. “Oh, yeah. You two definitely fucked.”</p><p>The sputtering and denial and over the top head shaking was too much to handle, and Noctis and Prompto had to laugh at them.</p><p>“Relax. Just admit it. You guys were so obvious, we just didn’t notice until now.”</p><p>“Yeah, you guys seem good for each other. Oh, and, uh, Noct and I are, like, together now, too, I guess. Figure I can tell you, right? Happy to know you two couldn’t figure us out despite me literally kissing him in front of you.”</p><p>Prompto played with his hands and fidgeted on the bed. Noctis reached out and grabbed Prompto’s hands and smiled at his new boyfriend. Then he turned back to Gladio and Ignis with a lot less confidence. “So . . . yeah. Last night was a night. Mutual agreement to try to keep PDA from now on to a bearable minimum?”</p><p>Ignis took in a long breath before sighing. “Agreed.”</p><p>“I’ll try to keep my hands to myself,” Gladio added.</p><p>“Cool. I’m actually royalty, though, so I’m gonna do what I want and make out with my boyfriend now.”</p><p>“No, you won’t,” Ignis warned.</p><p>Prompto sighed and slumped his shoulder. “Fine. At least give us thirty minutes to get ready without you two in the room?”</p><p>Whether or not Ignis would have agreed or not, Noctis could not tell before Gladio pulled Ignis out himself.</p><p>“Think they’ll make-out while we get ready?”</p><p>“For sure. . . Wanna play King’s Knight for 25 minutes then rush the last five?”</p><p>Prompt pecked Noctis on the lips and let out a true giggle. “We can technically do that during car rides. I’d rather kiss you, but we never did finish our game, so . . . Ten minutes kissing, ten minutes getting ready, ten minutes gaming?”</p><p>“That’s perfect, Prompto.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I would love to see me actually write the side story where Ignis and Gladio get wasted and be adorable and fun together, but for now I really hope you liked this part! Go have a wonderful day and please get a good amount of sleep instead of playing video games or getting wasted all night. Like, you can do those things, so long as you also sleep well.</p><p>Love,<br/>Grey</p></blockquote></div></div>
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